"Thus it is said that one who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be endangered in a hundred engagements."
Sun Tzu, The Art of War.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Alleged Associate of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Charged in New York with Providing Material Support and Receiving Military Training in Yemen

NEW YORK, NY—Minh Quang Pham has been
indicted in Manhattan federal court on charges of providing material support
to, and receiving military training from, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
(AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization, as well as possessing and
using firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence, and other violations.

The indictment was announced by Preet
Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James W.
McJunkin, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Washington, D.C. Field Office
of the FBI; Janice K. Fedarcyk, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New
York Office of the FBI; and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the
City of New York (NYPD).

U.S. Attorney Bharara said: “The
international law enforcement cooperation that lead to today’s arrest of Minh
Quang Pham, an alleged associate of a terrorist organization committed to
killing Americans both here and abroad, underscores our joint commitment to
identifying, prosecuting, and punishing those who would do harm to our country
and our people.”

D.C. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge
McJunkin said: “Today, an indictment was unsealed charging Minh Quang Pham with
providing material support to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and receiving
military-style training while he was in Yemen. Together with our law
enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to work both here and abroad to
protect the United States and its citizens from terrorism.”

NY FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge
Fedarcyk said: “The defendant not only allegedly pledged an oath to al Qaeda in
the Arabian Peninsula and received military training from AQAP, he also helped
design and disseminate its propaganda. The investigation that led to this
indictment is the result of the kind of cooperation and coordination, domestically
and internationally, that is essential in the effort to prevent acts of
terrorism.”

NYPD Commissioner Kelly said: “These
charges point to the ongoing threat posed by al Qaeda affiliates like AQAP, and
the importance of law enforcement collaboration internationally in thwarting
them.”

According to the indictment unsealed
today in Manhattan federal court:

In December 2010, Pham traveled from the
United Kingdom to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. While in
Yemen, Pham took an oath of allegiance to AQAP; carried an automatic assault
rifle; obtained training from and on behalf of AQAP; helped AQAP to prepare
online propaganda; and worked alongside two U.S. citizens.

Pham returned to the United Kingdom from
Yemen in 2011. He was arrested today based on the indictment described above.
Prior to his arrest, Pham was held by British authorities in immigration
custody.

The indictment charges Pham, 29, with
five counts. Counts one and two of the indictment charge Pham with conspiracy
to provide and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Count three charges Pham with conspiracy to receive military-type training from
a foreign terrorist organization. Count four charges him with receipt of
military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization and count five
charges him with use, carrying and possession of firearms (machine guns) in
furtherance of crimes of violence.

If convicted on all counts, Pham would
face a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of
40 years in prison.

Mr. Bharara praised the extraordinary
investigative work of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the FBI’s New York
Joint Terrorism Task Force—which principally consists of agents from the FBI
and detectives from the New York City Police Department—for the critical role
they played and continue to play in the investigation of Pham and his
co-conspirators. In addition, Mr. Bharara thanked the Department of Justice’s
National Security Division and its Office of International Affairs; various
other U.S. government agencies; and British authorities, including the
Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service, all of whom
provided extraordinary cooperation in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the
Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen B. Ritchin,
Benjamin Naftalis, Anna M. Skotko, and Sean S. Buckley are in charge of the
prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment
are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until
proven guilty.